Confidentiality, Terms and conditions, Data Protection and our Privacy statement.
We take the privacy of your personal information very seriously. We respect the privacy of our users, we also want to be clear about the data we collect, how it’s used and explain your rights to control it. We want you to be confident that your information will be properly protected whilst in our possession.
Appointment bookings and our cancellation statement
Each appointment is set by joint agreement, and may be freely cancelled or re-arranged, preferably with 48 hours notice. A charge will normally be made for appointments that are completely missed, or cancelled with less than 24 hours notice.
Statement of Confidentiality
It is important to create an environment that respects your privacy in a safe and non judgemental manner. Therapy involves clear boundaries and contracting to establish the terms on which you are being offered the services involved and confidentiality.
There are limits to confidentiality that are important for you to be aware of. This allows you to make an informed choice regarding the decision to disclose information and the points where confidentiality cannot be guaranteed are:
The legal requirements of law. Terrorism, serious violence or crime. Protection of children. Drug trafficking and money laundering. Any significant risk to self or others.
In an exceptional event occuring of the need to disclose information, where possible this will be done with your consent and with only the people that need to know.
This privacy statement describes how we process your data.
- Mike Ward is registered as a Data controller with the ICO (Information commissioner’s office). You can contact Mike on the details provided on this website.
- Under the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, your records are kept securely for 3 years and then destroyed. The records kept, include brief factual session notes. The data we collect in your first appointment is name, address, email address contact number. Session number time and brief fact of each session is recorded on the client note form.
- The purpose of this data is so we are able to communicate with you specifically to advise of appointments. Or where you have agreed on specific information being sent to you regarding your treatment, or any unforeseen event where Mike Ward is not able to attend an appointment.
- You therapy appointment and content is confidential. please refer to our confidentiality statement above.*
- You have the right to request what information is stored about you.
- You have the right to cease data collection and withdraw your consent under certain circumstances.
- * Your data is not shared with anyone else, unless signed consent is provided by yourself, E.G sharing information with your GP. Obligations under statutory Law: The therapist is required to disclose information. E.G Money laundering, drug trafficking, terrorism, child protection, the threat of serious harm to self or others, and specific court orders requesting information.
How we use your email and contact details
Should you choose to contact us using the contact form on our Contact us page or an email link, none of the data that you supply will be stored by this website or passed to / be processed by any of the third party data processors. Instead the data will be collated into an email and sent to us over the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).
Our SMTP servers are protected by TLS (sometimes known as SSL) meaning that the email content is encrypted using SHA-2, 256-bit cryptography before being sent across the internet. The email content is then decrypted by our local computers and devices.
How we use information collected from questionnaires
Should you choose to provide your name and email address when completing a questionnaire, this information shall only be used by ourselves to communicate your results and any further correspondence we may mutually enter into.
This data is not shared with any 3rd party.
Your results are stored on our website for 12 months. Thereafter this information is deleted from our servers.
Website Disclaimer and Cookie Policy
The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (the Regulations) cover the use of cookies and similar technologies for storing information, and accessing information stored, on a user’s equipment such as their computer or mobile.
A cookie is a small file, typically of letters and numbers, downloaded on to a device when the user accesses certain websites. Cookies are then sent back to originating website on each subsequent visit. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognise a user’s device. The Regulations apply to cookies and also to similar technologies for storing information. This could include, for example, Local Shared Objects.
The use of cookies and similar technologies has for some time been commonplace and cookies in particular are important in the provision of many online services. Using such technologies is not, therefore, prohibited by the Regulations but they do require that people are told about cookies and given the choice as to which of their online activities are monitored in this way.
This website does not collect or store any of your personal information.
We use Google Analytics
Google Analytics provides this website with anonymous visitor counts and statistics. This helps us see how many people are using the website and how popular the different pages are. This information is not shared with any third parties.
Opt out of Google Analytics for all websites
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Website Legal Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. Whilst we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under our control. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, we take no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.